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November 28, 2009

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Governor candidate Hammargren details education plan

Tuesday, June 16, 1998 | 2:54 a.m.

Hammargren, giving up his post as Nevada lieutenant governor to seek the GOP nomination for governor, added his plan is better than one from primary rival Kenny Guinn that had constitutional flaws.

Under Hammargren's proposal, the state would focus on defining and assessing students' "three Cs" skills - communication, computation and comprehension.

Local school districts would determine any other subjects that are taught, in efforts to revamp a state-approved curricula that "has long been criticized as a mile wide and an inch deep," Hammargren said.

The plan also provides for "teams" of parents, religious, business and neighborhood leaders who would have an advisory voice in various issues.

Testing of students would be frequent, and expanded to include grades four, six, eight, 10 and 12.

To reduce Nevada's dropout rate, the plan would prevent youths from getting driver's licenses until they can show they have a plan to finish school or get a GED certificate.

Educators who work and teach in at-risk schools for at least five years would be eligible for early retirement benefits; and home school students could get state vouchers to buy books of their choice instead of regular classroom texts. But they'd still have to pass the various required tests.

Hammargren said his plan incorporates many existing concepts, such as the continuing effort to reduce class sizes, adding, "Everything here isn't new."

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